


There is no people, only ideas

by Eurydyka_Kaput



Category: Trollhunters (Cartoon)
Genre: Politics, They just talk, heck, i added a longer chapter now, kind of, like it can happen in the middle of a fight, or while they are sitting on a couch in a living room, short fic, they could be close to killing each other, yay, you can interpret it anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2019-03-07 15:33:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13437813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eurydyka_Kaput/pseuds/Eurydyka_Kaput
Summary: Just a short talk between Walter and Jim.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It's a very short fic. I got inspired while readind "The Count of Monte Cristo".

‘Young Atlas, you must understand that in politics there is no such a thing as murder.’ Stricklander glanced at his favorite student, a teenager who was far too young to bear such burdens ‘There is no people, only ideas. No feelings, only business. In politics you don’t say that you killed a man, you say that you’ve gotten rid of obstacle.’

 

Jim looked down at amulet in his hands.

 

‘As soon as you picked up the amulet, you became a political person in the word you barely know. I’m not telling you this as an enemy but as a friend.’

 

‘Then I guess we’ve both failed those rules.’ Jim said ‘Haven’t we?’

 

‘I guess we have.’


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one is for moonlit_wings. I want to thank you for the comments, fic recommendation and tips. Really, really thank you.

‘Yesterday two, um, things showed up in my house.’ Jim said while he was adjusting piano seat to his height.

‘Things?’ Mr. Strickler asked.

‘You know-things! Guys but really weird.’ Boy put his fingers around his eyes ‘One had these eyes, and the other one was huge.’ He tried gesturing how big the second thing was ‘And they said they were trolls.’

Jim suddenly felt unsure when he said that word. “Trolls.” Mr. Strickler must thought he is crazy. To be honest Jim himself already started to doubt the realism of the meeting. True he woke up in the basement but he could just fell on his head. Headache was proof for that theory.

But it just seemed so real.

‘Trolls, you say? Could you tell me more about them? How exactly did they look?’

Jim was surprised. Yes, he came here to seek advice but some part of him excepted to be send to nurse at the very least. Maybe the man was just being kind as he always was, acting like he believed his student wild imagination.

‘One was blue. And he had six eyes. And four arms. And the other one was huge and grey and had green hair. They both have horns and huge teeth.’

‘What were they looking for in your house?’ Now Mr. Strickler looked concerned. Great.

‘They… They said I was chosen. I don’t know for what.’

Now the history teacher looked like he was about to have a heart attack. He looked at Jim as if he was condemned to death. That made Jim more nervous than he already was.

‘Mr. Strickler, are you alright?’ boy asked.

‘Yes, Jim. But I’m afraid I’m the one, who must throw some light for you.’

‘What light?’

‘You see, Young Atlas, humans live unaware that another world exists underneath their feet. The world of trolls, much like the ones you’ve met. They need a scapegoat to protect them. Unfortunately the amulet chose you.’ Real regret showed in Strickler’s eyes.

‘Protect from what? How do you know about it so much?’

‘Gruesomes, goblins, Gum-gums and’ the teacher sighed ‘changelings.’ His eyes flashed yellow and red ‘I’m a changeling.’

Jim just started at his teacher who apparently wasn’t human and his enemy. But that seemed so out of place. How could anyone consider Mr. Strickler a threat? The man was always calm and looked after his students. There had to be some mistake.

‘I won’t lie to you, Young Atlas. You’re in grave danger. There are many trolls, who would kill you to gain the amulet. Goblins, changelings, Bular himself.’

Jim stood up and took few steps back.

‘Does… Does that mean you’re going to kill me?’ he felt his heart pounding in his cheats.

Mr. Strickler looked at him apologetically and stayed sited.

‘No, Jim. I’m going to offer you my help. A first human Trollhunter! This is changing everything!’ the teacher smiled ‘I have a feeling you’ll achieve great things, Young Atlas. As a representative of my kind I’d like to be a part of them. That is if you let me.’

Jim didn’t have to think for long. That was his favorite teacher. The man who gave him advice about Claire, who never got annoyed with him for zoning out. He smiled and nodded. Mr. Strickler smiled back.

‘Those trolls will come back.’ He said “as in matter of facts” way ‘Do you recall their names?’

‘The blue one was called Blinky and that huge one, um, something like screaming…’

‘Aaarrrgghh!?’ Mr. Strickler asked.

‘Yes!’ Jim smiled when he remembered the name but he quickly dropped it after seeing his teacher face ‘Is it not good?’

‘Not good? This is a disaster!’

^^^^^^^^^^

So here they were. In Lake’s house living room waiting for two trolls to come back. Jim’s teacher insisted on being there after hearing second troll’s name. Apparently he was ex-general, who deserted from Gumar’s army and then braking out piece of Bular’s horn and changing the outcome of the battle of Killhead Bridge.

The history spend entire afternoon stuffing Jim’s head with, well, history. He mostly focused on changelings’ side of the coin and occasionally whined about lack of troll history books. He explained all the tensions between changelings and other trolls. He told him the story of Gumgums and how Deya the Deliver trapped him and other Gum-gums in the Darklands.The name was funny to Jim before Mr. Strickler translated it’s meaning. He told him how humans forgot about trolls existence.

Jim only listened and refilled his teacher cup with tea.

‘Mr. Strickler, I don’t know how can I thank you. I don’t know what I would do without you now. All this is just so confusing… Thank you.’

‘Please, Jim, my friends call me Walt. There is no need to thank me. As a teacher it’s my duty is to guide you trough this.’

‘I’m pretty sure it wasn’t in your job description.’ Jim laughed.

‘No, it wasn’t.’

Just as Walt said those words sound of tearing the handle came to their ears. When they reached the kitchen, doors opened and blue troll stood in them with arms lifted in triumph.

‘Master Jim!’ he exclaimed.

‘Hi.’ The large one said while trying to fit though the door.

‘We come here to inform you about your new obligation as a…’

‘Trollhunter.’ Jim finished for Blinky.

Blue troll looked thrown off his game.

‘Yes. How can you now what Trollhunter is? At least…’ suspicion rose in Bliny’s voice.

‘Meet my teacher-Mr. Strickler.’ Jim gestured to changeling ‘He’s already explained everything to me except one thing. How did you know where I live?’

Both trolls ignored Jim’s question and instead focused on Walt.

‘Aarghaumont.’ Walt said with poker face on.

‘Stricklander.’ Grey troll said not braking the eye contact.

‘I’ve told you so many times. It “Strickler”. A human child can remember it but a troll can’t?’

‘Child?’ Jim asked ‘Back to my question. How did you know where I live?’

‘We have our ways, Master Jim.’ Blinky said, Walt looked at him unamused ‘To be honest, we’ve spied on you.’

‘We spies.’ Aaarrrgghh! laughed.

Jim had no idea how to respond to that.

‘Excuse me,’ Walt talked to Blinky’ I’m sorry, I didn’t caught your name.’

‘Blinky.’

‘Yes, Blinky. I’m afraid your assistance here won’t be needed. Jim already found a trainer and that’s not you.’

‘Master Jim, please tell me this isn’t true.’ Blinky looked at Jim ‘Who will train you?’

Boy simply pointed at Walt.

‘A changeling? Training new Trollhunter?’ blue troll asked and then laughed nervously ‘That was good, Master Jim! You’ve got me for a second there!’

‘Why would you think I’m joking?’

‘Because he’ Blinky gestured to Walt whose eyes, despite the poker face, showed how much it hurt ‘would never be able to really show you what it means to be a Trollhunter.’

‘Why?’

‘He isn’t allowed to enter Trollmakret. How can he teach you to protect something he’s never seen in his life?’

Jim looked at Walt voicelessly asking if it was true.

‘It’s unfortunately true, Young Atlas. My kind isn’t welcome in Trollmakret or any other colony for that matter.’

‘Why?’ Jim asked again feeling like little kid, who didn’t understand anything at this point.

‘Why? Because changelings work for Gunmar!’ Blinky said.

‘We work for Gunmar because other trolls don’t accept us.’

‘Well, maybe if you didn’t work for Gunmar we would accept you.’

Sound of a car on the driveway made everyone pause and look at the front door.

‘Mom! But she was supposed to be back at midnight!’ Jim turned to three adults ‘Quick! Hide!’

Two trolls ran to the garden. Blinky helped Aaarrrgghh! by pushing him trough the door. Mr. Strickler sat himself down in the living room and placed a notebook and a pen on the coffee table.

‘Is this how changelings hide?’ Jim asked not really sure how to feel about his history teacher and soon to be trainer just waiting for his mother to come through the door.

‘Yes. We believe the best way to hide is to stay in plain sight.’

Jim didn’t have time to answer because the door opened.

‘Hi Jim. I forgot my phone.’ Woman paused when she spotted Walter ‘Hi, Mr. …’

‘Walter Strickler. It’s my pleasure to finally meet you doctor Lake.’ Changeling stood up and made few steps towards Barbara.

‘It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Strickler, though I have to ask what are you doing in my house?’

‘Jim had some trouble understanding latest assignment and asked if I could help him a little.’

‘Yes.’ Jim nodded ‘And Mr. Strickler was kind enough to help me here since I was afraid I might miss… um… courier.’

‘That’s very nice of you, Mr. Strickler. How can I repay you for helping Jim? Tea? Appendectomy?’

‘Tea sounds niece. As for appendix I’ll contact you in due time.’

Jim really didn’t know what to think about this. He send his mother confused glance when she laughed at teacher’s words. Then one more at Mr. Strickler who laughed back.

Really?

In one day he found out trolls exist, he was chosen to be the next Trollhunter, his teacher is a changeling and now said teacher flirted with his mother.

He still couldn’t believe what he saw when Barbara left the house again. He could only say “bye, mom”.

‘See you soon, Barbara.’

‘Has mom just asked you out?’ Jim looked at his teacher.

‘Seem like it, Young Atlas.’ Walt turned to Jim ‘I hope it won’t strain our amity.’

‘I need to sit down.’

^^^^^^^^^^^

Seeing Walt visiting Blinky’s library was like seeing a kid who saw a candy store for the very first time in their live. History teacher just couldn’t decide which book he should read first. He constantly flipped pages in many books at the same time, put tomes on the shelves and take new ones. Blinky observed him with warily. He rarely had such an enthusiastic guest in his library.

Jim putted his foot down on that matter. He wouldn’t go to Trollmarket if Walt wasn’t allowed to join them. Walt stayed in his human form and pretended to be boys father, who happened to be at home when Blinky and Aaarrrgghh! payed Jim a visit. Explaining second human in Trollmarket was far easier than changeling’s heavy Darklands’ accent.

After some time trolls got along with Walt. They no longer gave him suspicious glances. Jim was happy about it.

When he challenged Draal for a rematch he didn’t really knew what it meant. Walt sat down beside the boy in Lakes’ house living room.

‘Are you aware of the rules, Young Atlas? Do you have any idea what you’ve gotten yourself into?’ teacher asked.

‘It’s a rematch, Walt.’ calling him by the first name still tasted weird on Jim’s tongue ‘What about it could possibly make you worried? I promise the outcome will be different now.’

‘I hope so, Jim. Only one of you can survive this fight and I hope it’ll be you.’

‘Only one can survive?’ Jim asked suddenly pale.

‘That’s one of the rules. The winner has to kill the looser.’

‘But… That’s murder! I can’t possibly...’

Walt silenced him.

‘Young Atlas, you must understand that in politics there is no such a thing as murder.’ Stricklander glanced at his favorite student, a teenager who was far too young to bear such burdens ‘There is no people, only ideas. No feelings, only business. In politics you don’t say that you killed a man, you say that you’ve gotten rid of obstacle.’

Jim looked down at amulet in his hands.

‘As soon as you picked up the amulet, you became a political person in the word you barely know. I’m not telling you this as an enemy but as a friend.’

‘Then I guess we’ve both failed those rules.’ Jim said ‘Haven’t we?’

‘I guess we have.’ Walt smiled ‘And I’m very glad for that.’

‘I still can’t kill Draal! That is if I win.’

Walt pulled boy closer to hug him.

‘If you want trolls to take you seriously you’ll kill him. You’re going to win, Young Atlas. We’ll find a way.’

Walt watches the fight filled with horror. How could he get so attached to a flesh-bag child? To the point of giving up his position in the order, joining the new Trollhunter, betraying Gunmar and Pale Lady.

But he wouldn’t have it any other way.

He doesn’t know what the future will bring when he’s observing as Jim saves Draal’s life. Though he’s sure it’s going to be written in history pages.


End file.
